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Autoboyography
by
Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.
But when his best friend Autumn dares him to tak ...more
But when his best friend Autumn dares him to tak ...more
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Hardcover, 416 pages
Published
September 12th 2017
by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
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Jasmine
Latter Day Saints, as in Church of the Latter Day Saints. Members of the church are sometimes known as Mormons.
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4 Stars! A really remarkable read that lives up to the hype.
CW: homophobia
I have to say, I was NOT feeling this book to start. The plot felt very generic to start and I found Tanner incredibly irritating. Once the story passed into a period of cute romance, I was more into it. Finally, when shit hit the fan and everything was ruined, I was hooked. (Wonder what that say about me?) I thoroughly enjoyed the different points of conflict in the story, from the romance problems, the friend problems, ...more
CW: homophobia
I have to say, I was NOT feeling this book to start. The plot felt very generic to start and I found Tanner incredibly irritating. Once the story passed into a period of cute romance, I was more into it. Finally, when shit hit the fan and everything was ruined, I was hooked. (Wonder what that say about me?) I thoroughly enjoyed the different points of conflict in the story, from the romance problems, the friend problems, ...more

Jul 09, 2017
C.G. Drews
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
audio-books,
best-of-2017,
young-adult,
ya-male-narrators,
reread,
5-star,
read-2017,
contemporary,
read-2018
READ #2: August 2018
I forgot how much this book freaking means to me. I'm crYING okay. I think this book will forever take up space in my heart and I'm so so glad it exists. My love for it is so personal and relatable and rereading made me genuinely tear up (shout out @ me who is generally a stoic vulcan tbh) and have my heartbreak and heal at once.
I can't even.
This is definitely in my top 10 books of all time.
(Also I did the audiobook this time and it was EXCEPTIONAL! The narrator was so so goo ...more
I forgot how much this book freaking means to me. I'm crYING okay. I think this book will forever take up space in my heart and I'm so so glad it exists. My love for it is so personal and relatable and rereading made me genuinely tear up (shout out @ me who is generally a stoic vulcan tbh) and have my heartbreak and heal at once.
I can't even.
This is definitely in my top 10 books of all time.
(Also I did the audiobook this time and it was EXCEPTIONAL! The narrator was so so goo ...more

This was such a touching love story. There were so many obstacles along the way due to the very religious town Tanner and Sebastian were living in and I worried for them the entire time but it was a great read. I loved how it featured a bisexual main character and examined what bisexuality means, tackling some common misconceptions, and showed how difficult it can be for a gay boy who has grown up in the Mormon church. Overall, such a great book!

“A God worthy of your eternal love wouldn’t judge you for who you love while you’re here.”
Friends, I only picked this book up because it was on sale this month on Audible, even though I can never focus on audiobooks. I only started listening, because I decided to spend last night playing video games with my best friend. I only clicked play because he was telling me about his latest audiobook. I honestly believe with whole heart that the stars aligned to make me read this book, and I ...more

”This is how we reveal ourselves: these tiny flashes of discomfort, the reactions we can’t hide.”
“Autoboyography” was one of those books I wanted to read ever since I read the blurb. I mean there was the mention of a bisexual character that’s forced to stay in the closet because he moved to Utha and truth be told that alone was already enough to pique my interest! *lol*
Still, when I picked up the book I didn’t expect to go through so many feels and to say it touched my heart is certainly putting ...more
“Autoboyography” was one of those books I wanted to read ever since I read the blurb. I mean there was the mention of a bisexual character that’s forced to stay in the closet because he moved to Utha and truth be told that alone was already enough to pique my interest! *lol*
Still, when I picked up the book I didn’t expect to go through so many feels and to say it touched my heart is certainly putting ...more

me before reading this book: love is a fake social construct
me after reading this book: love is real and it tried to fight me in the parking lot of a Denny’s
So this was unexpectedly sad. It’s a story about a bi boy who moves to a predominantly Mormon area, and despite being closeted, quickly falls for the preacher’s son. It’s sweet. And cute. And also tears your heart out a bit.
What makes Autoboyograph ...more
me after reading this book: love is real and it tried to fight me in the parking lot of a Denny’s
”A God worthy of your eternal love wouldn’t judge you for who you love while you’re here.”
So this was unexpectedly sad. It’s a story about a bi boy who moves to a predominantly Mormon area, and despite being closeted, quickly falls for the preacher’s son. It’s sweet. And cute. And also tears your heart out a bit.
What makes Autoboyograph ...more

Nov 15, 2017
emma
rated it
did not like it
Shelves:
library,
contemporary,
ya,
nope,
reviewed,
unpopular-opinion,
1-and-a-half-stars,
diverse,
comments
Okay. I want to start out by saying that I know this book has been veryyyy important for a lot of people, and that's rad. But I had a lot of problems with it and it wasn't for me. If this resonated with ya or anything, maybe just don't read this review? It's not going to make you happy my friend I promise ya that.
So now that we have that out of the way. (I say as if there's any way on god's great green earth I'm not going to still get someone coming at me for this.)
I want to say that I strongly ...more
So now that we have that out of the way. (I say as if there's any way on god's great green earth I'm not going to still get someone coming at me for this.)
I want to say that I strongly ...more

A half-Jewish, half-nothing queer kid moves to an LDS-infested town. He can’t wait to leave.
And that’s just the start of Tanner’s truth.
A straight, thirty-something, married to her high-school sweetheart, non-practicing and childless Catholic is probably not the target demographic here, but I sort of beg to differ. Shelved in the YA section of the bookstore, Autoboyography is a story rooted in love, self-identity, and the quest for acceptance—things most of us have grappled with at one tim ...more

It opens with a boy and a girl, a dare, and crumbs on a bed.
First off I’m rating this book 5 stars, no doubt.
The story follows Tanner, in his senior year of school, in Utah. His best friend Autumn dares him to take the Seminar, a class where the students have to write a book in 4 months. Sebastian Brother is the prodigy that wrote a book and sold it, and is now back to mentor students. And as we all know is bound to happen, Tanner and Sebastian fall in love. But the problem lies in the fact ...more
First off I’m rating this book 5 stars, no doubt.
The story follows Tanner, in his senior year of school, in Utah. His best friend Autumn dares him to take the Seminar, a class where the students have to write a book in 4 months. Sebastian Brother is the prodigy that wrote a book and sold it, and is now back to mentor students. And as we all know is bound to happen, Tanner and Sebastian fall in love. But the problem lies in the fact ...more

I don't know how to talk about this book. I don't know if I'll ever be able to explain my feelings on this book and how it got to me in so many specific ways.
This book felt like a book about home. It was a story about people I grew up with, it was a story about myself and my connection to my sexuality and the religion I grew up being a part of. I saw my high school friends in character after character. I saw a boy I went to school with who grew up to marry another boy, even though it caused him ...more
This book felt like a book about home. It was a story about people I grew up with, it was a story about myself and my connection to my sexuality and the religion I grew up being a part of. I saw my high school friends in character after character. I saw a boy I went to school with who grew up to marry another boy, even though it caused him ...more

Just finished my reread of this book, and it was just as great the second time. Sebastian is so precious and he must be PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS. This romance is just really cute and I was smiling throughout this entire book, I listened to the audiobook this time around and it was great!
Here's my original review:
My review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S8lb...
"His smile ruins me."
Holy shit, you guys. Autoboyography is my favorite book from Christina Lauren thus far, and that says a lot conside ...more
Here's my original review:
My review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S8lb...
"His smile ruins me."
Holy shit, you guys. Autoboyography is my favorite book from Christina Lauren thus far, and that says a lot conside ...more

3.5/5 stars
Let's just start this review with a disclosure, shall we?
A main theme of this book is the Mormon/LDS religion. Now I am a very proud, tapir-loving exmormon, meaning I was raised and baptized in the LDS church before realizing that the ...more
"I don’t actually care if you break my heart, Sebastian. I went into this knowing it could happen and I gave it to you anyway. But I don’t want you to break your own. You have so much space in your heart for your church, but does it have space for you?"
Let's just start this review with a disclosure, shall we?
A main theme of this book is the Mormon/LDS religion. Now I am a very proud, tapir-loving exmormon, meaning I was raised and baptized in the LDS church before realizing that the ...more


Yes, Leo, me, too. All the feels.
I couldn't love Christina Lauren's Autoboyography any more if I tried. As I've said so many times, I am so happy that young adult books like this exist and are readily available in today's world, to help this generation realize that whatever their problem is, they will be able to overcome it, and thrive. But at the same time, I can't help but be perhaps a tad bitter that not one book like this existed when I was growing up, because I sure could've used some enco
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1557144778p2/15335689.jpg)
Jun 20, 2018
destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to destiny ♡⚔♡ by:
Jue.
His smile ruins me.
I should have reviewed this when I read it almost a year ago, but now it’s been too long and I don’t remember everything I want to say. 🤷♀️ Whoops. A few pros and cons that I remember:
P R O S:
- Tanner’s family is super supportive of his sexuality
- Tanner and Sebastian can be super cute together
- I laughed a lot
- while the book calls out a lot of what is hard about being queer and Mormon, it also features some reasons why people might want to stay in the LDS church
...more

I'M GAY I'M GAY I'M GAY I'M GAAAAAAAAAAY

Man, it always feels good to say it out loud. Though I have to remain closeted in my real life for my own safety and well-being, thank god for the internet. I can be as unabashedly, unequivocally and unapologetically gay as I want and it's such a liberating thing.
I guess that's why I harbored a lot of envy towards Tanner and also related very much to Sebastian. Here is Tanner; a bisexual boy who has very liberal, queer-positive parents who love and support ...more

Man, it always feels good to say it out loud. Though I have to remain closeted in my real life for my own safety and well-being, thank god for the internet. I can be as unabashedly, unequivocally and unapologetically gay as I want and it's such a liberating thing.
I guess that's why I harbored a lot of envy towards Tanner and also related very much to Sebastian. Here is Tanner; a bisexual boy who has very liberal, queer-positive parents who love and support ...more

Apr 15, 2019
Whitney Atkinson
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2019,
lgbtqiap
4.5 stars
This is my first time reading Christina Lauren's YA works, and I loved it. It captures the perfect balance of funny yet meaningful writing and dialogue and character traits, which I really enjoyed. But what shines through in this book, for me, is the discussion of religion and homophobia, especially the denial, guilt, and shame that comes with being non-straight in a community of bible thumpers. Living in Texas, I understood Sebastian's predicament almost painfully, and so seeing how he ...more
This is my first time reading Christina Lauren's YA works, and I loved it. It captures the perfect balance of funny yet meaningful writing and dialogue and character traits, which I really enjoyed. But what shines through in this book, for me, is the discussion of religion and homophobia, especially the denial, guilt, and shame that comes with being non-straight in a community of bible thumpers. Living in Texas, I understood Sebastian's predicament almost painfully, and so seeing how he ...more

Aug 14, 2019
Warda
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
lgbtqia,
library-reads
I wanted tears and I wanted laughter and I got them.
This book was intense to read. Not only because of the connection Sebastian and Tanner formed but to also read of the struggle one goes through when the people that are supposed to love you the most, love you unconditionally, don’t. It was suffocating to read at times, and I felt the claustrophobic air that comes with having to hide a huge part of your identity from the people that you care about. But mostly the damage you do to yourself when ...more
This book was intense to read. Not only because of the connection Sebastian and Tanner formed but to also read of the struggle one goes through when the people that are supposed to love you the most, love you unconditionally, don’t. It was suffocating to read at times, and I felt the claustrophobic air that comes with having to hide a huge part of your identity from the people that you care about. But mostly the damage you do to yourself when ...more

‘i think a god worthy of your eternal love wouldnt judge you for who you love while youre here.’
i know quotes can sometimes make for lazy reviews, but i kept coming back to this again and again.
i generally tend to shy away from books where religion is a main plot device because i feel like it is a very personal and individualistic matter. but i was always seeing so many good things about this book, so i decided to give it a try. and i dont regret it.
i dont really have much to say other than ...more
i know quotes can sometimes make for lazy reviews, but i kept coming back to this again and again.
i generally tend to shy away from books where religion is a main plot device because i feel like it is a very personal and individualistic matter. but i was always seeing so many good things about this book, so i decided to give it a try. and i dont regret it.
i dont really have much to say other than ...more

having batman run me over in his bat mobile would hurt less. oh my god. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
this book was fluffy but it was also so sad, I DIDN'T ACTUALLY EXPECT TO HAVE MY SOUL CRUSHED WHAT THE FUCK. but thank you Christina Lauren for crushing it anyways.
no review, goodnight. i am tears.
------
i want this book to crush me, thanks.
also, this cover's so pretty. i want to eat it. ...more
this book was fluffy but it was also so sad, I DIDN'T ACTUALLY EXPECT TO HAVE MY SOUL CRUSHED WHAT THE FUCK. but thank you Christina Lauren for crushing it anyways.
no review, goodnight. i am tears.
------
i want this book to crush me, thanks.
also, this cover's so pretty. i want to eat it. ...more

“A God worthy of your eternal love wouldn’t judge you for who you love while you’re here.”
This. Right there. I’m not a believer, really, but that might mostly be because I grew up in a society that worshipped a God who only loved conditionally. And to this day it’s the reason why religion is a red flag for me, especially as a gay person. You cannot preach love and give hate. You cannot preach freedom and deny it to others. And yet, they all do it.
My expectations were mile high. That rating! And ...more
This. Right there. I’m not a believer, really, but that might mostly be because I grew up in a society that worshipped a God who only loved conditionally. And to this day it’s the reason why religion is a red flag for me, especially as a gay person. You cannot preach love and give hate. You cannot preach freedom and deny it to others. And yet, they all do it.
My expectations were mile high. That rating! And ...more

Oh, Christina Lauren - how do you repeatedly capture my heart in such a vise grip? Tanner and Sebastian - so sweet, so cute, so heartbreaking, so angsty & thought-provoking. How could I not fall in love with their love story? This book gave me all the feels.
Tanner is a bi-sexual high school senior living in Mormon Utah. Due to the environment, he is "in the closet" to everyone, except his immediate family. When his best friend, Autumn, convinces him to take The Seminar during their last semester ...more
Tanner is a bi-sexual high school senior living in Mormon Utah. Due to the environment, he is "in the closet" to everyone, except his immediate family. When his best friend, Autumn, convinces him to take The Seminar during their last semester ...more

4 stars!!!

Autoboyography is a great coming of age/YA story. This was much different than what I’m used to when I pick up a Christina Lauren novel, but I was pleasantly surprised with how well written it was!
Tanner is a high-school senior who is half-jewish and bisexual. He lives in the mormon capital of the US. Tanner takes a writing class his last year of school and Sebastian, who previously graduated is helping out. Tanner and Sebastian have an instant connection and it goes beyond anything ...more

Autoboyography is a great coming of age/YA story. This was much different than what I’m used to when I pick up a Christina Lauren novel, but I was pleasantly surprised with how well written it was!
Tanner is a high-school senior who is half-jewish and bisexual. He lives in the mormon capital of the US. Tanner takes a writing class his last year of school and Sebastian, who previously graduated is helping out. Tanner and Sebastian have an instant connection and it goes beyond anything ...more

4.5

More pics,
(view spoiler)
A dare that would change two young lives forever...
Reading Tanner and Sebastian's story was special,truly special.I devoured this in less than 24hours.It's a beautifully told YA love story....not always pretty as they face prejudices and the expectations of religion and family.
Tanner and his family moved to Utah three years ago.While his ...more
I'm just a bisexual half-Jewish kid who's falling in love with an LDS guy

More pics,
(view spoiler)
A dare that would change two young lives forever...
Reading Tanner and Sebastian's story was special,truly special.I devoured this in less than 24hours.It's a beautifully told YA love story....not always pretty as they face prejudices and the expectations of religion and family.
Tanner and his family moved to Utah three years ago.While his ...more

FULL VIDEO REVIEW AT THIS LINK!
I’m SCREAMING. I’m destroyed. Granted, I have a major weak spot and see through rose colored glasses because of my personal history when I read books that involve romance + writing but omg. ...more
I’m SCREAMING. I’m destroyed. Granted, I have a major weak spot and see through rose colored glasses because of my personal history when I read books that involve romance + writing but omg. ...more

Apr 07, 2018
may ➹
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
fave-2018,
read-2018,
library,
buddy-reads,
ownvoices,
pov-3rd,
young-adult,
contemporary,
diverse,
rep-lgbtqiap-author
SOMEONE HOLD ME LOVE IS TRUE LOVE IS REAL AND I’LL NEVER ACHIEVE LOVE LIKE THE LOVE TANNER AND SEBASTIAN HAVE FOR EACH OTHER\
I just... god. this book is, objectively speaking, not perfect. it has flaws, and it even has insta-love, which if you know me is one of my most hated book tropes ever. but oh my GOD the way it was written kept me so engaged and I was so invested in this story that I literally didn’t realize it was insta-love halfway through???? (though I’m not sure I would’ve been as inve ...more
I just... god. this book is, objectively speaking, not perfect. it has flaws, and it even has insta-love, which if you know me is one of my most hated book tropes ever. but oh my GOD the way it was written kept me so engaged and I was so invested in this story that I literally didn’t realize it was insta-love halfway through???? (though I’m not sure I would’ve been as inve ...more

“But this is your life, and it will stretch out before you, and you are the only person who can make it whatever you want it to be.”
representation: jewish, queer characters (bisexual [own voices], gay, lesbian), mormon, tongan, hungarian/swedish rep.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★★★
spoilery thoughts:
- the friendship between autumn and tanner is everything and so well developed
"I love you, but only a little."
- the commentary on being bis ...more
representation: jewish, queer characters (bisexual [own voices], gay, lesbian), mormon, tongan, hungarian/swedish rep.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★★★
spoilery thoughts:
- the friendship between autumn and tanner is everything and so well developed
"I love you, but only a little."
- the commentary on being bis ...more

❥ 2.5 / 5 stars
[ unpopular opinion ]
Once again that I read a book without reading its synopsis because I trusted the average rating and I thought I was going to love it eventually but it turned out that I didn’t enjoy it as much as everyone else did.
The story started with the trope that as some of you guys might already know, is far from my liking. An insta-love.
When Sebastian first walked into the novel-writing class of which Tanner was a member, they both instantly knew that there was somethin ...more
[ unpopular opinion ]
Once again that I read a book without reading its synopsis because I trusted the average rating and I thought I was going to love it eventually but it turned out that I didn’t enjoy it as much as everyone else did.
The story started with the trope that as some of you guys might already know, is far from my liking. An insta-love.
When Sebastian first walked into the novel-writing class of which Tanner was a member, they both instantly knew that there was somethin ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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POV | 2 | 8 | Aug 03, 2020 08:32AM | |
Play Book Tag: [Poll Ballot] Autoboyography by Christina Lauren 4 stars | 1 | 8 | Jun 01, 2020 08:57AM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: Autoboyography by Christina Lauren - Restarting June 10th 2020 | 47 | 125 | May 20, 2020 12:24AM | |
Play Book Tag: (Poll Ballot Tally) Autoboyography by Christina Lauren - 4.5 stars | 7 | 15 | Apr 30, 2020 07:01PM | |
YA LGBT Books: * January 2018 BotM - Autoboyography (poss spoilers) | 31 | 192 | Apr 03, 2020 10:46AM | |
Other Christina Lauren books | 1 | 9 | Jul 25, 2019 04:33PM | |
Queer Book Review: Autoboyography | 2 | 11 | Apr 30, 2019 07:23AM |
Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced sixteen New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 30+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)
W ...more
W ...more
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“This is how we reveal ourselves: these tiny flashes of discomfort, the reactions we can’t hide.”
—
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“His smile ruins me.”
—
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